Scot McKnight over at Jesus Creed has been posting on a new book called God on Mute: Engaging the Silence of Unanswered Prayer, by Pete Greig. I have not read the book yet, but I have already benefited from Scot’s summary of the main points. Here are sixteen reasons Greig suggests that God sometimes does not answer prayer:
Common sense: Am I asking God to do something stupid, meaningless, or illogical?
Contradiction: Are my prayers likely to be conflicting with those of someone else?
Laws of nature: Are my prayers potentially detrimental to the natural order or to the lives of others?
Life is tough: Am I expecting God to spare me from stuff that’s just common human experience because of the Fall?
Doctrine: Does my prayer reflect God’s character and His promises in the Bible? Might it be out of line with His will for my life?
Second best: Although my desire in prayer is for something good, is it possible that God has something even better in store for me?
Motive: Are my prayers essentially just selfish?
Relationship: Is there an opportunity here for going deeper in my relationship with God?
Free will: Am I expecting God to override someone’s free will?
Influence: Am I trying to exercise ungodly power over a person’s life in prayer?
Satanic opposition: Is my prayer in line with God’s will but experiencing specific demonic resistance?
Faith: Do I really believe that God can do this? Am I out of my league?
Perseverance: Do I want it enough to keep praying?
Sin: Honesty time: Is there some secret sin you need to confess?
Justice: Am I actively seeking to express God’s love for the poor?
None of the first 15: Am I trying to find answers where I need instead to trust?
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